Scenes From The Past
by Salunatic
Summary: A series of one shots about Tigress' life in The Jade Palace.
1. Chapter 1: Day One

Hello

Its only my second story, but in actual fact, it was what I wrote first before posting my other story TKAI, so it might not be as good.

Would like to thank the following people:

M4dG4rl: Thanks for your support still =D

My good friend Angila: You took the time to entertain me despite being busy. Thanks.

DATsubasa: Crazy person like me. What more could I ask for?

Disclaimer: I do not own Kung Fu Panda.

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**Day One**

Today was her first official day living in the Jade Palace. Shifu had adopted her from Bao Gu Orphanage yesterday afternoon and they spent the day travelling to the Jade Palace. The long journey coupled with the steep climb to the Jade Palace quickly tire the young tiger who was panting by the time they reached the top. Shifu gave her instructions to be up to greet him when the morning gong rang and to rest for the night.

Little Tigress had gotten up early to tidy up herself. She wanted to look presentable to her new father, not wanting him to think that she was sloppy. As soon as the gong rang, she stepped out of her room to greet Shifu as instructed the night before.

"Good morning Baba"

"Come" Was the only reply. Shifu then turned and walked out of the barracks.

Tigress followed in his footsteps. _Wonder where we're going._ She thought excitedly. As she stepped into the courtyard, she marveled at her surroundings. It was the first time she saw the rest of the Jade Palace in broad daylight. The place was old, but meticulously maintained, looking like it could stand for another few hundred years without any major issues. There were many large growing trees around, but the floor was surprisingly free from any fallen leaves. It even looked clean enough to eat off the floor.

Looking around, the vast space of the courtyard made her feel small, knowing that she was stepping on the very same path that many other masters had once took. _Is that a dragon?_ She wondered as she walked past a sculpted pillar. The dragon seemed alive as the morning sun shone on it, making its eyes glint menacingly and causing her to quicken her steps in order to keep up with the red panda in front of her. Too engrossed with her surroundings, she didn't notice Shifu stop suddenly. She bumped into him before losing her balance and landing flat on the floor.

"Oompf!"

She got up from the floor and saw Shifu frowning at her.

"I'm sorry Baba, it won't happen again." She apologized hastily, worried that she might have angered him.

Shifu didn't say anything, but continued to frown at her. The next few minutes passed in silence. Nothing could be heard except for the slight rustling of leaves and her own pounding heartbeat. Tigress didn't know what was on his mind, but in hers, she was starting to panic._ Is Baba angry? Is he going to scold or punish me? Will he send me back to Bao Gu? _The last thought made her cringe internally. Just as she decided to apologize again, Shifu started speaking.

"Welcome to Jade Palace Tigress. This courtyard where we are standing on right now is where you'll be doing most of your training for the next few years. Since today is your first day, I'll now go through some rules for you as well as routines that we follow. You are to greet me outside your door when the gong rings every morning. Even if it's the weekends, you're to do the same. Do you understand?"

Tigress nodded her head earnestly, wanting to show that she was listening.

"Next, from today onwards, you're no longer a little girl, but a warrior. You are to train hard to be able to defend the valley and its citizens. Every morning, I'll give you instructions on what to train on or what to do. I may or may not be with you while you train, but I expect you to do your best. Are we clear on that?"

"Yes Baba"

"One more thing. From now on, you're to address me as 'Master', not Baba."

"Why?"

"It's for your own good."

"But you adopted me, so doesn't that make you my Baba?" Tigress asked hopefully.

Dang, thought Shifu. She's smart.

"Yes, but from now on, I'm your master, and you're my student. That's how it's going to be." Shifu replied, his tone final and resolute.

Tigress didn't reply immediately. Her ears drooped and she seemed to shrink slightly. She was confused as to why Shifu would want her to do that, but she didn't intend to pursue the matter. After all, Shifu did take her out of the orphanage, gave her a new home, a new life. She had hoped for the same loving parents that she saw the other kids at the orphanage were being adopted by, but knowing what she was being labeled as, a monster, she was happy that Shifu would even accept her for what she is. It was a big disappointment, but she told herself that no matter what happens, she was forever grateful to him.

Tigress lifted her head slightly to look at Shifu and thought. _He may never acknowledge me as his daughter, and I may never address him anything other than master, but no matter what, he'll forever be my Baba. It's far from what I wanted, but I'll live with it._

"Yes Master" She replied, subdued.

Shifu ignored the change in the young tiger's mood and continued.

"Good, let us begin. Judging on the climb up the thousand steps yesterday, you tire very quickly. That will not do. As a warrior, you're expected to be able to make the climb regularly without tiring out. For the next few months, we'll focus on improving your stamina. Right now, I want you to run around the courtyard."

"Just run?"

"Yes, as fast as you can. Don't stop till I tell you to."

"Yes master." She replied with a bow. She turned around, got down on all fours and jogged to the edge of the courtyard. She then began sprinting. Fully exerting herself, she was panting within minutes and could feel her fur sticking to her skin due to the sweat.

Shifu watched the little tiger sprint around the courtyard. It was more than 10 minutes. She was starting to slow down. He motioned for the little tiger to come to him. She came to a stop in front of him, panting heavily. He didn't say anything, but waited for her to recover her breath. When she finally did, she stood in front of him, head bowed, silent. He smiled internally, glad that he made the right choice to adopt and train her. Impressed with her recovery time, he decided to give her another light exercise before letting her rest.

"Well done Tigress. Now I want you to jog around the courtyard at your own pace for the next hour. When you're done, you may rest. I'll see you during lunch at noon."

Tigress expression lit up. She was ecstatic as that was the first time anyone praised her. It filled her with a warm fuzzy feeling. Even better, Shifu would be having lunch with her. She has never had a meal with anyone ever since the incident at Bao Gu Orphanage. She was always locked in her room with only herself for company.

"Yes master" She said happily.

Shifu noticed the change in her mood. He nodded and walked off, intending to meditate at the peach tree hill.

When he left, Tigress started her jog. During which many thoughts was running through her mind. _Baba praised me! He actually praised me! I got to work harder, so he'll praise me more. I know, from now on, I'll train as hard as I can. I want Baba to be glad for adopting me from Bao Gu. _

Those were the thoughts that occupied her while she jogged around the courtyard. Being in such a good mood, she decided to jog an additional 30 minutes on top of what she was instructed to do before going to the showers to clean up. Little did she know that a certain red panda was observing her from afar.

.

Halfway to the peach tree hill, Shifu took a slight detour to observe Tigress as she did her first training. He was puzzled by her change in mood earlier and was further surprised when she trained even longer then instructed. _Did I do something wrong?_ He thought back to all the interactions he had with her. The only thing that came to mind was him praising her after her sprint. He decided that he should cut down on such praises, using them sparingly and only when she has accomplished something outstanding.

He saw Tigress walk towards the bathrooms to clean up. She seemed to bounce instead of walk. _I guess a child's mood recovers much faster than an adult's_. Putting the thought aside, he turned around and continued his walk to the peach tree hill.

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An hour later, Shifu walked into the pantry to see the young tigress standing at the side, waiting for him.

"What are you given for meals in Bao Gu, Tigress?" He asked as indicated for her to sit and started preparing lunch.

"Usually plain porridge with a little vegetables, noodles on certain special occasions like someone's birthday or New Year." The little tigress answered eagerly.

"I see. From now on, your meals will be tofu with plain buns. It's best for you as a growing warrior."

"Yes Ba- I mean, yes Master." She corrected herself hastily.

She thanked Shifu when he placed a plate of tofu in front of her and began to eat. Looking up sheepishly from time to time, she noticed that Shifu was watching her while she ate. Embarrassed, she focused on her meal in silence, thoughts racing through her head as she chewed and swallowed the silky soft tofu and piping hot buns. She was glad that he was at least eating with her. Yes, the food was bland and tasteless, but at least she had company. Understanding that Shifu prefers to remain silent, she decided to keep quiet and just enjoy having a meal with her adopted father. Swishing her tail behind her in contentment, she picked up another bun and chewed on it.

Halfway through the meal, Shifu spoke up.

"Tigress, after explaining the rules and routines of the Jade palace this morning, do you have any questions you want to ask?"

"No master."

"Good, from tomorrow onwards, you'll prepare your own food and you'll eat by yourself during meal times."

She looked up in surprise.

"Alone?"

"Yes."

"But… Why?"

Shifu frowned.

"Because as a warrior, you have to learn to be independent, be able to prepare your meals lest you go hungry during missions."

"I didn't mean that Master. What I meant is, why do I have to eat alone? Don't you need to eat too?"

Shifu seemed at a loss of words. Instead of trying to come up with a reply, he decided to change the subject and avoid the topic altogether.

"That's enough questions for today. Finish your lunch and I'll meet you at the courtyard in an hour's time."

With that, Shifu turned abruptly and left the pantry, leaving the tiger all alone by herself once more.

Tigress watched Shifu walk out, totally devastated from what she had just heard, what she was just instructed to do. Feeling the total sense of helplessness, she tried desperately to rein in the tears and emotions that were welling up, but the water droplets just kept flowing down her cheek, trailing a matted line down her fiery fur. It was all she had hoped for when she was adopted; to be part of a normal family and to be able spend time with her father, whether is it just to sit with each other in silence or to have a normal meal with him. It was a bitter realization that all her hopes and dreams were now crumbled in ruins in front of her.

She turned back to her meal in front of her, no longer looking at it, no longer hungry, no longer able to hold it back. It was only noon, but she had already gone through enough emotional torment for a week.

The first was in the morning where she was forbidden to acknowledge her father as Baba, but to address him as her master. By doing that, he had effectively cut off all family links with her, treating their relationship strictly as a Master-Student relationship. It was heart breaking for her, but at least she could convince herself to cling on to the tiny thread of hope that he was just being strict at the start and that after she had worked hard to make him proud, he would acknowledge her as his daughter.

What Shifu had just instructed however, totally broke her. It was just a simple act of eating with a child, something that she had hoped for ever since her lonely days at Bao Gu. On one hand, what he did was technically defensible, but on the other hand, it was cruel, to be subjecting an innocent child to such harsh realities at such a young age, especially one that was so emotionally wounded, it just totally destroyed her.

He had made her vulnerable by cutting off the family ties, then gave her some hope by praising her and having a meal with her, then destroying that tiny thread that she held on to. It was too much for little Tigress to bear. A single question remained in her mind as she pushed the plate away, laid her head in her arms on the table and began sobbing.

_Why? _

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So... How was it? Review button's just nearby *Points to button below* =D

I dunno whether will there be more, but I'll need to see the response first. I'm inclined to write more, but well... we'll see.

-Salunatic


	2. Chapter 2: Nightmare

Hi all, its been a long time since the last update. I'm sorry for taking so long, but hey, I needed to make sure that its good enough for you dear readers.

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As usual, my thanks and appreciation to:

**M4dG4rl:** The countless questions and things that I've been asking you,  
and you've helped me with so much, encouraged me so much,  
helped me get back on track with my stories.  
What more can I ask from a friend?  
Thanks.

**DATsubasa:** Insanity, insanity, insanity. Its been a real blessing to have you as my friend.

**Angila:** The nonstop pestering. I hope I haven't annoyed you too much.  
Thanks for always listening.

**Sarah:** My regular source of happiness, entertainment, and enjoyment.

**KaylaDestroyer:** Its been nice having an author friend like you.  
You've been my inspiration to keep writing.

**cheezy3:** You write wonderful stories too.  
Thanks for the countless messages we've exchanged.

**MusicalNinja15:** You've been a good fan and friend.  
Hope your Star trek story gets more popular.  
It was certainly an interesting read.

.

Thanks to the following reviewers:

**Agnez:** Thanks. I'll do my best.

**YinYang:** Thanks to you too.

**Sweetluckygirl:** Thanks!

**M4dG4rl:** To be honest, I didn't realize the tofu thing till you pointed it out. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

**greatest15:** I'm sure its the question that any confused person/animal might ask.

**your fan:** Thanks! Maybe you can create an account? This way I can update you when the next chapter's out.

**Unknown:** Thanks! Maybe you can create an account? This way I can update you when the next chapter's out.

**Genandme:** Thanks!

**Senna711:** I'm glad you enjoyed the story. This whole collection intends to showcase her life at the Jade Palace, bits and sections of her life and her interactions with characters which we know and love so much.

**racers100:** Thanks! I'll do my best.

**cheezy3:** Thanks!

**Naiatra Equatron:** You're a good author too, especially for emotional stories. I'm glad you liked mine. When I saw your review, I felt happy, and honored. Thanks!

**Solarsystemex:** Thanks! I'll do my best. Keep up your stories too.

**KaylaDestroyer:** Thanks! Will keep your advice in mind.

**MusicalNinja15:** Thanks! Keep updating your stories too.

**Shadow Bane:** I will. Create an account. This way I can update you when there's a new chapter.

**DATsubasa:** Thanks my friend.

.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kung Fu Panda.

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**Nightmare**

A cloud drifted past in the gentle breeze, unveiling the full moon that is now gleaming brightly in the sky. Its glow bathed the Valley of Peace in a gentle light, illuminating the way for the lost and weary. It was a little after midnight and everything was calm and peaceful. The citizens were deep in their slumber, swimming in the deepest of oceans and frolicking in the lushness of their imaginary fields. It was in a world where everyone was their own paradise, living in their greatest hopes and dreams. The steady breathing and gentle snores of every sleeping animal blend seamlessly to form a soothing symphony that seem to float along the city streets, an aural testament that even deep in the night when its citizens are asleep, it still lives up to its name: The Valley of Peace.

However, despite the lingering serenity in the city, not everyone will share the same peace every night. There will always be someone who has dreams that are frightening and unpleasant. Today, that someone is a little tiger cub in the furthest, tallest and most sacred place in the valley.

It has been exactly three weeks since there was a new addition to the residents of the Jade Palace. Little tigress had slowly eased into the daily routines of the Jade Palace, training daily without any rest so far. It was part of Shifu's plan to break her away from her past at Bao Gu Orphanage where he had adopted her from. He knew the conditions of her past, how she was frequently ignored and ostracized. She wasn't even allowed out of her room save for bathroom trips. He knew that if she had time to herself, she would begin thinking and comparing her time between her new life at the Jade Palace and her time at the orphanage. Anyone would, especially an emotionally wounded seven year old.

For the past three weeks, she hadn't said a word about her past, and neither did he ask her about it. He thought that by giving her so much training and tiring her out physically everyday, she would not have the time nor the energy needed to ponder on those negative thoughts. Shifu knew that she was exhausted every night after the training as she always headed directly to bed after washing up. After her first training, he had sent her to rest early before meditating on the day's events. He realized that he had been too harsh on her, especially on her first day.

Shifu had initially hoped that she would mention it sometime after that day so he could repair some of the damage, but three weeks had passed and she still hadn't said anything. He had been loading her with so much training, she was completely exhausted. He thought that after so long, she would have forgotten it, or have let it passed. Or so he thought…

.

A seven year old tigress cub tossed and turned on her futon, occasionally whimpering and mumbling to herself as she struggled slightly against the sheets that had twisted and wrapped themselves around her lean form. To the casual observer, it looked as if she had bundled herself up in the sheets to keep warm. In actual fact, she was in the midst of a nightmare and those sheets were entangled around her after her own imaginary struggles.

.

_Dream scene_

_Tigress was back in the pantry, having her first meal with her adopted father. She had just munched on her second bun when Shifu spoke._

"_From today onwards, you'll be eating by yourself Tigress."_

_She looked up in surprise._

"_Alone?"_

"_Yes."_

"_But… Why?"_

_Shifu frowned at her. _

"_Because you are a monster Tigress, and monsters deserve to be alone."_

"_But… Master, you said I wasn't a monster."_

"_No, you ARE a monster. That's why I took you out from Bao Gu."_

_Tigress started to tear up._

"_But I thought…."_

"_You thought I'm trying to change you by bringing you here? You're wrong. I only took you out because it's easier to watch you here."_

"_But Master, it won't be like this morning's training. I'll work hard to –"_

"_This morning's training? That was called training? It was more like a joke. Once a monster, always a monster, and a monster like you will never become a Kung Fu Warrior." He declared._

"_Master… Please…" She begged. "I'll work harder… Please….I'll –" _

_Before she could continue, the scene faded, only to be replaced by the field outside Bao Gu Orphanage. There were other children running around and playing tag in the distance. Tigress found herself sitting down on the withering grass, a plush sheep doll in front of her. She realized that she was back to the time when she was six and had slipped out of her room after the caretakers had forgotten to bolt her door. _

_She lean forward to pick up the toy, only to have it snatched roughly from her paws. Looking up, she saw two older bunny kids smirking down at her, dangling the sheep in front of her. _

"_Oh look, the freak is out."_

_She narrowed her eyes, but didn't want to provoke a fight. "Can I have my sheep back?" She tried asking politely._

"_This is yours? I think the others deserve it more." The older of the two mocked her. _

"_Mister Ling gave it to me. Please, can I have it back?" _

"_I think we'll hang on to it a while more, freak." They replied, tossing the toy carelessly among themselves. _

_Tigress was getting desperate. The toy was all she had, her only friend and comfort when she was locked in her room. With a roar, she unsheathed her claws and pounced, sinking her fangs into the arm of the older bunny when she landed on him. Screams and shouts followed as she continued biting and clawing away at the bunny's arm. A pair of hoofs grabbed her roughly and shoved her aside, causing her to be momentarily stunned as she fell hard on the ground. She looked up to see the anger on the face of the one who had shoved her. _

"_They started it!" She lamented to the elderly goat who had pushed her aside._

"_I don't care who started it. You attacked them, that means you're in the wrong. You aren't even supposed to be out in the first place. How did you get out?" She shouted. Without giving her a chance to reply, she dragged her by her arm down the weathered pathway back to the building._

"_Wait… I need to get my sheep…" She protested feebly as she tried pulling the hoof off her arm. As she turned around to look for it, she noticed that the friend of the bunny who she had just attacked had picked up her toy. He smiled at her maliciously and started ripping the toy apart._

"_Noo…" She wailed. "Stop! Stop!"_

_The goat continued pulling her back into the building. Feeling like as if something snapped, she turned and slashed the goat's arm, causing her to drop her with a yelp of pain. Finally free, she sprinted on all fours towards the bunny who had by now dropped the toy in shock and was starting to run. Before she could attack him however, she was lifted off the ground by a pair of hoofs and slung over a muscled shoulder. The animal itself then started walking into the building._

_A large whiff of tobacco entered her nostrils and she realized that the one who had picked her up was the orphanage's owner, a large no nonsense ox who never fail to subdue her every time she broke free. He didn't like her, but neither did he treat her badly. She stopped struggling and calmed down slightly. He was the only one whom she both feared and had respect for in the whole orphanage. She didn't dare cross him. He was the one who had given her the toy after all. _

"_Mister Ling– " She protested weakly._

"_Enough Tigress." He cut her off._

"_But…" _

"_I know you didn't start it, but the truth is, you shouldn't have been out of your room in the first place."_

"_Prison you mean…" She replied bitterly._

_The large ox didn't reply till he reached her room. He placed her down and knelt down so that he was eye level with her. _

"_Time to go in."_

_Tigress looked into the darkened room before asking him once more. _

"_Do I have to?"_

_He sighed. "You know that all I want is what's best for the kids. Since you can't control your anger and your strength, I have to do this until you get adopted, to protect everyone else."_

_She lowered her head and trudged into the room. _

"_I'm sorry Tigress." Mister Ling said softly before bolting the door shut. _

_As soon as he left, Tigress started screaming and roaring, trying to let out all anger and frustration that she had suppressed while Mister Ling was around. She dragged her razor sharp claws repeatedly on the walls around her, adding more blemishes to its already scarred surface. _

_After almost five minutes, she grew tired of clawing and sat sobbing in the corner, her knees pulled up to her chest and her tail curled around herself. As she continued crying, she heard the other kids being led to their beds in the dormitories near her room. She didn't need to strain her ear to hear what they were saying. They were talking about her and branding her a monster over and over again. _

"_I'm not a monster!" She shouted towards the door, but all they did was to chant it repeatedly. _

"_Monster… Monster… Monster…"_

_She slammed her paws over her ears and shook her head vigorously. _

"_I'M NOT! I'M NOT!"_

"_Monster… Monster… Monster…"_

_._

"NOOO!" Tigress screamed into the night, awaking in the drenched and twisted sheets of her futon. Her fur was ruffled up and her eyes were wet. It took a few minutes before the sobs finally subsided. The nightmare was fresh in her mind as she looked round her room, each shadowed part of the room reminding her of the cell she was always locked in back at Bao Gu.

A constricting feeling crept into her as she gripped her sheets tighter. It was the feeling of fear that she hadn't felt in more than three weeks; the fear of being ostracized, of being confined and being unwanted by anyone. Her fear escalated with her heart rate as she scanned her surroundings once more. Any part of the room that wasn't touched by the moonlight was like a void that would engulf her should she go near it. Even the small dresser that was sitting quietly in the corner seemed to growl and snarl at her as her fear started warping her sense of reality.

Not wanting to stay in there alone for another minute, the trembling tigress cub tip toed out of the room and into the corridor, making special effort to step only where the moonlight shines, afraid that if she stayed in the darkness for too long, it might just swallow her whole.

When she finally got out, she paused at the doorway of the barracks, unsure of what to do. The little tigress wanted someone to comfort her, someone to chase the shadows away, someone to tell her that everything will be fine. All the time, back in the orphanage, she was always alone. During the nights where she had nightmares, all she could do was to huddle and curl inwards, forcing herself to stay awake till sunrise. Now, she knew that if she did that, she'll be too tired for training in the morning. Yet, she didn't dare to go back to sleep as she was afraid that the nightmares might return. She didn't want to disappoint her adopted father by turning up for training looking disheveled. _Master_, she corrected herself mentally.

As if a sudden realization, she remembered Master Shifu. She knew that he had told her not to disturb him at night and was worried that she'll anger him. She however, was desperately afraid of being alone at the moment, scared that the dreams might just come true, that she was a monster and hated by others. She hurried to the Hall of Warriors where he resided and upon entering, tip toed pass the numerous artifacts on display till she reached the stairs near the back of the building.

.

A red panda tossed and turned in his sleep. There was something interrupting his sleep. His sensitive ears twitched constantly, causing him to finally sit up in frustration. He sat on his futon, silently fuming. Having such sensitive hearing was good, but there are times where it is a complete nuisance. Like now for instance. He could hear so well, even the tiniest footsteps would rouse him. That was the reason why he had chosen to sleep in the second floor of the hall of warriors. It was a place where no one entered unless they had a specific reason to. Even the palace servants knew not to enter after sunset.

He looked at the moon through the opened window. Based on the position of gleaming pearl in the sky, he gauged that it was just slightly after midnight. He strained his ears once more, trying to find the source of irritation, but after a minute of focusing, the noise had seemingly disappeared. Hoping that he could finally go back to sleep, he turned back to his futon and laid down on it.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, his ears twitched again. He cursed under his breath as he concentrated on the noise once more. The slowly approaching footsteps sounded slightly cushioned. They were feather light, but very distinct. Silence return as soon as they stopped right outside his room. With a frustrated growl, he whipped his blankets aside and stormed towards the door. Whoever was disturbing him at this timing without an official reason would get it from him, and there was only one person who had footsteps like those.

.

After pausing for a moment at the stairs, little Tigress plucked up the courage to complete her journey. She tip toed even more carefully as she made her way across the wooden floor on the second level to his room, hoping that she hadn't made any noise to arouse her master. She knew just after a few days in the palace that he had excellent hearing and an exceedingly short temper. Adding the lateness of the night, she knew that he'd be in a terrible mood. She was worried of being on the receiving end of his wrath, but was currently more afraid of the loneliness and was desperately pining for some affection and comfort.

Stopping outside his door, she raised a trembling paw to the door and paused. She was scared, both of her master and of her nightmare. Taking a deep breath, she was about to knock when the paper-thin door burst open, revealing a very angry looking red panda.

"What?" Shifu growled.

Tigress cringed and flattened her ears in fear.

"I… I'm sorry master, for waking you up… but I –"

"Why are you here? Haven't I told you before that the Hall of Warriors is out of bounds after sunset?"

"I know the rules master, but I… couldn't sleep."

"Why not?"

"I… I had a scary dream, master."

"A bad dream? That is all?" He nearly shouted.

Tigress hung her head in shame. She didn't know that it sounded childish. To her, it sounded right. She was afraid of being alone, afraid of the darkness, and afraid of the memories it brought her.

.

Shifu narrowed his eyebrows at the tigress cub in front of him. He had expected more from her. _She couldn't sleep? Just over a bad dream?_ He was sorely tempted to just tell her off, but he knew that he couldn't. She wasn't wrong in any way. All she was doing was to look for someone for comfort after a nightmare. She was just a seven year old cub after all. He sighed resignedly and tried to soften his tone.

"What did you dream about Tigress?"

She knew that she couldn't tell him about the scene back at the pantry, so she settled on the part at the orphanage.

"It was during the time back at… Bao Gu…. Master..." She trailed off and looked at Shifu nervously, unsure on whether she should continue.

Frustration was clear in his expression, but he nodded wearily for her to continue.

"It was that one time where a bunny stole my toy, my only toy… I tried to ask them nicely, but they wouldn't return it. I got angry, and I couldn't control myself… I… I attacked them. The nannies separated us in the end, but they destroyed the toy, and…."

She looked down once more in attempt to hide her tear filled orbs.

"They kept calling me… monster… over and over. I shouted at them that I wasn't, but they didn't stop. Even the nannies …"

She stopped talking, unable to continue without breaking down. She clenched her paws together and tried to control her emotions.

Shifu looked at her as she fell silent. He knew that she was trying her best not to break down in front of him, but how much more can she withstand? The fatherly side in him wanted to reach out and comfort her, but something in him held him back. Almost a minute of silenced pass before he decided to speak up, leaning towards a more general answer to prevent her from getting any wrong ideas.

"Tigress, remember the day I first came into the orphanage, and the first thing that I told you?"

Tigress nodded her head slightly, but continued staring at the floor. Shifu then tipped her chin upwards to look right into her watery irises.

"I'll remind you again, Tigress." He said softly, but firmly. "You have the physical strength that the others don't, but this does not, I repeat, does NOT, mean you are a monster. You are now a Kung Fu Warrior who will defend the citizens of the valley, and if need be, the citizens of China. Do you understand me?"

The little tiger cub nodded once more.

"Good." Shifu removed his finger from her chin. "Go back to bed. You need to be up early for training."

The red panda turned around and headed back into his room. He was about to shut the door when the tigress cub addressed him once more.

"Master?"

He clenched his teeth and huffed.

"What is it?"

"May I… sleep here tonight? I'll… I'll be quiet. I'll sleep on the floor… and won't move or make any sound. You… you won't even know I'm here master… I'll… leave before the morning gong, before you wake up master…"

"No" He replied firmly. "Go back to your room."

She looked at his back, her shimmering irises reflecting the ray of moonlight shining through the corridor window.

"Alone?" She asked, her voice wavering.

"Yes."

Tigress squeezed her eyes shut as she bowed down slightly and mentally braced herself. A drop of crystal clear tear leaked out of her amber irises.

"But, Baba…" She pleaded, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm scared…"

Those words sparked a memory in Shifu. A memory when Tai Lung was still young and had come looking for him in the middle of the night. He had comforted him and allowed him to spend the night with him. Tai Lung had grown closer to him that night as they talked about his nightmare, with the snow leopard cub eventually falling asleep cuddled next to him afterwards.

_No._ Shifu forcefully put a stop on that memory. He had shown care and concern for Tai Lung, and what happened in the end? Tai Lung turned out to be a monster who had almost destroyed the Valley of Peace. _I will not make the same mistake again. I can't treat Tigress the same way as I did with him._ He made up his mind. He will be strict with her, and today's event will be the best opportunity to enforce his stand. Yes, he loved her, but he couldn't show it, lest he create another reiteration of Tai Lung.

He turned around and stared at her.

"Tigress. What did I tell you about addressing me during your first day here?" He questioned her coldly.

She looked up hopefully when he called her name, but bowed her head in bitter disappointment when she heard the tone he used.

"To address you as Master, not… Baba…" She replied in the barest of whisper.

"Remember this; A warrior who shows her fears will be taken advantage of by her enemies. Find a way to conquer your fear, lest you let your fear conquer you."

Tigress nodded silently.

"I want you to become a fearless warrior Tigress. Starting from today, I want you to overcome any fear you face, regardless of whatever it is. Am I clear?"

"I… I'll do my best Master."

"Don't disappoint me Tigress. Now go. You need to sleep."

She bowed once more before turning to leave. She didn't stop until she reached the entrance of the student barracks. Being with Shifu had made the nightmares go away, but his rejection brought everything back. For the past few weeks, she didn't have the energy to think or ponder on anything as she was too tired after the day's training. Right now, she was wide awake and unable to return to the comfort of sleep. She knew she had to find a way to tire herself before attempting to sleep again. Deciding that she didn't want to return to her room so early, she turned and walked towards the courtyard, tears still flowing down her cheeks as she pondered on her adopted father's repeated rejections.

Reaching the courtyard, she sat down on the cobbled floor and continued crying. _Baba… Why? What did I do wrong? Please tell me, I'll change. Please…_

A gentle gust of wind ruffled her fur and she raised her head a little to look around the moonlit courtyard. The memory of her very first day of training was suddenly clear in her mind. It was the first time Shifu had praised her, the first time anyone had praised her for anything at all. It was after her very first workout. She had exerted herself fully, and had seemingly impressed him.

_That's it. _She realized. _I need to work harder to impress him, to prove to him that I'm no longer a monster and to show him that he made the right choice by adopting me from Bao Gu. _

She stood up and wiped her tears dry. Taking a deep breath, she went down on all fours and started sprinting around the courtyard. The past three weeks of endurance training had already started paying off. Running long distance was now effortless for her, but she continued it anyway to try to keep her mind distracted from the harmful thoughts. She went on for another hour before deciding to stop. There were only three hours left to sunrise and she had to get some rest.

She walked to the bathhouse to clean up, the nightmare now long gone from her mind. All that remained was a silent determination to push herself fully, to accomplish anything that Shifu had in mind for her and to prove that she will never disappoint him again.

* * *

So... How was it?

If its good, review. If its not... Still review, and maybe let me know where and what to work on so I can make it better. Even single word/sentence reviews are welcomed.

.

If everything goes as planned, the next chapter might not involve Shifu at all, but someone else whom we all love as well. *winks*

It was originally intended for chapter 2, but after drafting it, I realized that it was too early, so I pushed it to chapter 3. That's why there was such a delay. I had to recompose this chapter from scratch.

Well, hope to hear from you all soon. =D

-Salunatic


	3. Chapter 3: A Story

Howdy!

I promised myself and a few others who messaged me that I'll post by end August. Target achieved. Here's Chapter 3. =D

.

As usual, my thanks and appreciation to:

**M4dG4rl:** I don't know where I'll be if it weren't for you.  
You truly are, an amazing writer,  
and a wonderful friend.

**MusicalNinja15:** Your stories are wonderful too.  
Keep the chapters coming, and  
congratulations once more on your  
2nd Degree Black Belt.

**Angila:** The companionship, the friendship.  
Thanks for being my friend.  
I wish you happiness with Zen Kyn.

**DATsubasa:** Stay crazy. The world wouldn't be  
complete without you.

.

My thanks to the following reviewers:

**M4dG4rl:** Thanks! I had a hard time trying to keep my eyes completely dry too. Keep up your wonderful stories :D

**Fallen Angel:** I usually try to update as much as I can, or whenever inspiration strikes. Yep, you guessed correctly.

**Puckabrinaluver:** Here's the next chapter.

**cheezy3:** Thanks! I'll do my best to update as much as possible for you too.

**Cookie M 2012:** Thanks!

**greatest15:** Thanks! And you're welcome.

**sweetluckygirl:** Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

**MusicalNinja15:** Thanks for the wonderful review! Your stories are wonderful too. Lots of insight into the different characters. I'll do my best to write more.

**KaylaDestroyer:** Thanks! I agree with you, that Dreamworks should explain more about the situation between Tigress and Shifu.

**racers100:** Thanks! I'll do my best.

**Naiatra Equatron:** Wow! Thanks for the long review. I really appreciate it. Your stories are wonderful too. Emotional, and beautiful. Keep them coming.

**Me121212:** Thanks!

**Solarsystemex:** Thanks! I will.

**Sweetdeath04:** Thanks! You're right, Oogway will be in this chapter.

**Wny 98:** Thanks!

**SkyDragonFlame:** Thanks for the heartwarming review. I really appreciate it. Here's the next chapter.

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_This chapter is dedicated to M4dG4rl.  
__Without whom I would never have plucked up the courage to write.  
__You remind me of Master Oogway, who was always friendly, patient and encouraging.  
Thank you._

_._

Disclaimer: I do not own Kung Fu Panda.

* * *

**A Story**

Almost six months had passed since the day Shifu adopted Tigress from Bao Gu orphanage. Shifu had initially thought that she would take up to a year or two to train up her stamina and endurance. He was mildly surprised however, when she was now able to make it up and down the thousand stairs without much of a pant.

Knowing that she would soon have move on to other things, he decided to teach her the basic stances and sparring techniques. Two weeks ago, he introduced Tigress to the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors, a rotating 3 piece, metal studded, wooden training equipment that was used to train speed and reflexes.

She was thrilled when Shifu told her that she will now be progressing to something else other than stamina training. When he had first brought her into the Training Hall, she was literally bouncing around with excitement. Even with Shifu's strict and harsh teaching, she had remained as enthusiastic as ever.

Eight days later, she had seemingly hit a stalemate with a triple strike technique that she was trying to master. The crucial learning point was to be able to attack the gauntlet without being hit by it, all the while using the triple strike technique. Shifu didn't help either, regularly only telling her to keep trying, again and again, without any explanations nor indications on where or what she might be doing wrong.

Never one to disappoint, she did as instructed, frequently changing her strokes and methods slightly, hoping for a breakthrough or success in her technique. She had been doing the same thing for nine hours a day, for eight consecutive days. Her enthusiasm had long run out, and her patience was wearing dangerously thin.

"Focus. Again."

It was the same thing that she had heard for the past few days, over and over again, and it was starting to get on her nerves. She may be only an eight year old tigress, still counted as a cub by most, but her tiger temper was starting to show. She tried again once more, but was still unable to complete the third strike of the technique without getting hit by the gauntlet she was practicing on.

"Again."

She turned around to face him in frustration.

"But Master, I don't know what I'm doing wrong. We've been doing this for days now but I still can't get it."

"You'll get it when you get it."

"But if I'm going to get it, I would have gotten it long ago." She complained.

"Tigress, the first step is to learn how to learn. Only then, will you be able to progress. Now, try again. Try to find out and analyze what you should be doing to complete all three strikes without being hit."

Little tigress huffed before turning back to the gauntlet. After another 10 minutes, she finally lost her patience. She roared and lashed out at the gauntlet, hitting it with all her might. There was no technique at all, just pure brute strength.

She managed to get her second strike in before noticing that something was wrong. As she prepared to make the third strike, the opposite end of the studded gauntlet swung out suddenly towards her. Her eyes widened as she realized that it was headed straight for her face.

She tried to dodge it, but it the gauntlet was moving too fast. It struck her jaw with so much force, she was thrown backwards almost a meter behind. She landed backwards on her tail, causing her to twist around with a yelp of pain as her full body weight nearly folded it. As she lay on the floor, she covered her snout with her paws in attempt to stem the flow of blood.

Shifu was beside her in an instant, standing over her as he tried to find out if she was ok.

"Put down your paw Tigress."

She shook her head vigorously, tears in her eyes as she tried to hide the injury from her adopted father.

"Tigress, I can't help you if you don't let me see it." He repeated as he gently pushed her paws away from her face.

She finally relented and lowered her paws, allowing him to slowly pry her jaws open. She whimpered as the action of opening her jaw caused immense pain, causing her to clutch onto his lithe arms as he opened her jaws wider to check for broken teeth. As he took in her bleeding gum and lips, he ran his fingers around her muzzle to check for more wounds.

Tears of shame had mingled with those of pain. A brief memory of her very first training with Shifu surfaced, of how he thought her to control her temper and strength, of the number of months it took before she could finally control herself. She knew that she shouldn't have let her temper take over her.

Eventually, he brought her to the palace infirmary, where the healers told her that her jaw wasn't broken, just slightly dislocated. They placed a small frame inside her jaw to hold it in place while it healed. Meanwhile, she couldn't eat anything other than liquid foods. She wasn't able to talk, wasn't able to train. Simply, she wasn't able to do anything. The healers said that she had to rest without much movement for at least a week. Shifu then confined her to her room. Meals would be brought to her and she was allowed to leave the room only to visit the restrooms. After giving her those instructions, he hadn't seen her ever since.

.

That was three days ago. Right now, it is slightly after lunch. She tried meditating, but wasn't very successful in clearing her mind. She had already finished reading all the scrolls that Shifu had given her. Huffing slightly, she paced around her room and sat on the floor, frequently alternating between both. She was, in a word, bored. She flopped onto the floor once more and looked around the room, every inch of it long etched in her memory. A sudden wave of loneliness hit her. She realized that she had never felt this alone after leaving Bao Gu.

Ever since she came in, all her time had been spent running, stretching and learning. She was always occupied with something, preventing her from thinking about her past. Even the few times where she was jolted awake from nightmares in the middle of the night, she was able to train or do something to keep herself occupied. Right now, she had too much time, too much energy, and nothing to do.

The rice paper door in front of her caught her attention. _If I go out and no one finds out, nothing will be wrong right?_ Deep down, she knew it was wrong to disobey Shifu's orders, but she so desperately wanted to be out in the open. Being confined to the room with only herself for company was starting to remind her of her lonely time back at Bao Gu.

She walked to the door and placed a paw on it. Her heart was racing and she was conflicting with herself whether to do it. She stood there for another minute before her impulsive nature took over.

She gingerly slid the door open and peered outside, heart pounding in both fear and excitement. The coast was clear. She walked out cautiously, careful to avoid the few creaking floorboards. Her velvety soft foot paw pads made no sound as she sneaked out from her room and out of the barracks.

As soon as she stepped out, she inhaled deeply, savoring the clean crisp mountainside air that she had so longed for. _Freedom, finally…_ She knew that she couldn't go to all the regular places where she had trained before or where she knew Shifu frequented. She continued pondering until she realized that there was one place where Shifu never went; the highest level of the Training Hall, just right below the roof itself. Only the palace servants ever go there, and it was only during times where the swinging clubs of oblivion were in need of replacement or maintenance. She had been there during one of her night exploring trips, and she realized that that was where she can go now for a change of scenery.

She crept towards the servant's entrance of the Training Hall and hid in the bushes, watching the entrance for a full five minutes before concluding that no one was using the entrance today.

Knowing that nothing else was going to happen unless she risked it, she decided to run towards the door. As she neared the door, she stretched out her paw and had almost touched the handle when…

"Tigress?"

She nearly jumped out of her fur when she heard her name. Turning around, she braced herself to face Shifu's wrath, but was surprised when she saw Oogway with his wooden staff instead.

She calmed down slightly and placed her right paw into the other, giving the turtle a respectful bow as he slowly made his way towards her. Despite having very little interactions with the wise turtle, Tigress respected and adored him from the first time she met him.

"Does your snout still hurt?" Oogway asked her gently.

Unable to speak, she looked up and shook her head in reply.

"That's good. Does Shifu know that you're out of your room?"

Tigress hung her head and lowered her ears in shame. She shook her head slowly, knowing that she deserved to be punished for disobeying orders. What she didn't know was that instead of being angry, Oogway was actually smiling down at her.

The Grandmaster knew that Shifu meant well, wanting her to recover as soon as possible by making her resting all day. What Shifu didn't really understand was that she was just a young cub full of energy and vibrance. To have her alone in her room without anyone for company was too much for her to bear. Furthermore, she was just stepping out from her dark and lonely days back at the orphanage and was improving steadily. Locking her up would be counterproductive. What she needed wasn't just care from her own master, but a little affection from a father figure.

However, he didn't say anything but took her paw and gently guided her to walk beside him. As they passed by the Hall of Warriors, Tigress hesitated.

"Don't worry little one, we're not looking for Shifu."

Upon hearing this, raised her eyebrows and looked at him in wonder, hardly believing that he wasn't going to punish her. They continued their stroll in comfortable silence, this time stopping at the barracks entrance.

Tigress knew that she was lucky that she wasn't punished, knew that she should thank the gods that she was just let off today. Before entering the barracks, she turned around and gazed into the distance, wondering when she would be able to see the open air again. Thoughts of her impending loneliness caused her eyes to moisten. She didn't want to go back, at least not so soon. She held on to Oogway's paw, unwilling to let go. She looked up at him with watery eyes, silently begging him to just let her stay out a while longer. _Master, please let me stay out a while more… I'll be a good, please… Just for today… _

She wanted to scream it out, but due to the frame in her jaw, all she was able to achieve was a slight whimper of desperation.

Oogway looked down at the little tiger who was clinging on to his right paw, her loneliness, sorrow and desolation written clearly all over her face. He knew that although Shifu had taken her out of the orphanage and given her a new life, he wasn't exactly what she had hoped for. He wasn't the loving father that she wanted, wasn't the emotional pillar she needed. All he had given her was the bare necessities she needed to survive, not live. Shifu would have sent her back to her room. He didn't have the heart to do it.

"Come child, let's take a walk." He told her, smiling as he did.

The change in the little tiger's mood was instantaneous. She bowed in gratitude, her eyes twinkling slightly in happiness. He gripped her paw a little firmer and led her away from the barracks.

.

The pair arrived at the peach tree hill. While it was in the middle of the afternoon, the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom provided ample shelter from the sun's sweltering heat. Tigress let go of Oogway's paw and walked forward a few steps before closing her eyes. She inhaled the sweet aroma of fresh peaches that were hanging from the branches above her, enjoying the gentle breeze that was lightly caressing the fur on her face.

A soft chuckle brought her out of her trance, reminding her that she wasn't alone, and that her trip here was prompted by the grandmaster's kindness. She turned around to see the old turtle sitting on the ground and patting the space beside him, prompting her to sit with him.

"Let me tell you a story Tigress."

The cub's ears perked up upon hearing these words. _A story? No one has ever told me a story before. _She scooted over to him and sat down watching him.

Oogway smiled at her excitement and started the story.

"It all started long ago in the city of Jinzhou…"

.

Tigress hung onto every word that he said, her full attention on him as he told the story of how Masters Rhino, Ox and Croc got together for the first time to battle the Wu Sisters. He explained how they first met each other during a back alley street fight, how they eventually got together to head towards Wu Mountain. When he reached the part of the story where they fell into the river of lava, she gripped onto his paw tightly, fearful for the three masters and what might happen to them. Soon after, she relaxed when he described their battle with the Wu Sisters and their eventual victory.

.

"So that was how the three of them came together. Three warriors who had troubled backgrounds, but choose to put aside their problems for the common good." Oogway concluded.

Tigress looked at him in wonder, amazed at what had happened.

Oogway smiled at her as she continued staring at him in awe, her thoughts still on the three masters and what had happened to them in the end. Reaching forward, he stroked her forehead gently, smiling at her as she closed her eyes and bowed slightly, allowing him to stroke her more easily. He was further amused when he heard a soft rumbling sound coming from the cub. It was a side of the cub that he hadn't seen since she arrived. Right now, she exuded the innocence and happiness of an infant which she hadn't showed whenever she was with Shifu.

.

Tigress was enjoying every moment of her time with Oogway. She didn't know what the low rumbling in her throat was. She didn't even know that she was unconsciously rubbing her head against the turtle's paw as he stroked her. All she knew was that she was enjoying her time with Oogway, and that she hadn't felt this warmness in her heart for as long as she can remember.

Alas, all good things will eventually come to an end. Oogway was aware that the tigress cub longed to stay here and continue listening to more stories, but he knew that if she didn't get back to her room soon, the palace servants will notice that she wasn't in her room as it was almost time for them to deliver the evening's meal.

"Come on Tigress, it's time to go back." He said gently as he stood up.

The tiger cub stood up regretfully as well, knowing that she would eventually have to return to her room.

During the walk back to the barracks, Tigress couldn't help but drag her footpaws on the ground with every step. She knew she should be grateful for not being punished, but it was hard to stay optimistic when she remembered what she had to endure until she recovered.

"Tigress, do you know why I told you the story about Masters Rhino, Ox and Croc today?"

Unable to answer, she looked at him questioningly and shook her head.

He smiled. "All three of them had complicated backgrounds, but in the end, they chose to fight for justice and honor. It's similar to you, little one. Your past at the orphanage may not be great, but now, you're here. You have the ability to do good, Tigress. Everyone does. What separates warriors from bandits is the path they choose. You have to decide yourself whether to use Kung Fu for good or bad."

They arrived at the entrance to the barracks. Oogway followed the cub's gaze as she sighed and stared into the shadowy corridor.

"It's only a few more days. When you've fully recovered, you can continue your training again."

She smiled slightly in gratitude and gave him another formal bow before trudging slowly into the barracks. Oogway then left after watching her disappear back into her room, shaking his head as he did.

* * *

Well... How was it?

Good, Bad, Amazing, Disappointing. Do let me know how you feel.

.

I'm currently toying with a few ideas for the next few chapters, but I'm curious to see the response for this one first. If there is interest for this story to continue, then I might.

Well... Hope to hear from you readers. Those who have been reviewing, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. For those silent readers, I thank you for reading and do hope to hear from you soon.

-Salunatic


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